It’s a great question! First though, as with any new potential business endeavor, it’s important to define the terms from the get-go.
In this case, a quick internet search might lead a person to believe that the food cart business and the food truck business are exactly the same. They’re not.
Sure, there are obvious similarities. Both the food cart franchise business and the food truck franchise business conjure up images of food and wheels. Better put, maybe … food on wheels? And, umbrellas. Sometimes. More on that in a few.
So, while investing in the best food cart franchise you can find might be an option for some entrepreneurs, a food cart may not scratch the culinary industry itch like a food truck can. That’s for the franchise owner to decide, of course.
What Are Some Obvious Differences between the Food Cart Franchise Business and the Food Truck Franchise Business?
Let’s start with the simple food cart vs. food truck eye test.
In the food cart franchise biz, you can expect just that – carts. From small ice cream carts, you can push across a parking lot to the hot dog cart that sits on the downtown corner to a weekend popcorn cart inside the mall.
Oh yeah, the umbrellas. Think umbrellas. Not with all of them, but often with an affordable food cart franchise you’ll find the proprietor under an umbrella next to his food cart. Not a bad thing, but sometimes, a thing.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of operating a small food cart franchise?
Owning a food cart business has advantages and disadvantages, all depending on what your overall goals are for your street food business. Let’s start with some advantages.
Space. With a food cart, you’ll require very little. Your tiny business can obviously fit into a smaller space than a food truck requires.
Your food cart can be poolside with gourmet popsicles or in the corner of a ballroom at a Vegas convention serving as many fried hand pies as your cart will hold to convention-goers passers-by.
Cost. Your food cart business won’t have a transmission, oil to change, or the sheer size that a food truck has, so it’s simply not going to cost as much. It’s a less expensive business to get into and maintain.
Growth. As a food cart doesn’t cost as much, you might be able to grow your food cart franchise empire to two units, then three, then the sky’s the limit!
Now, what are the disadvantages of a food cart business over a food truck business?
There are certain disadvantages of owning a food cart franchise instead of a food truck franchise. What are they? Space. Cost. Growth. Wait a minute, I thought you said… keep reading!
Space: A food cart just isn’t gonna have it. Even the larger ones. What’s “it”? A kitchen of course. Sure, you can have a freezer for the popsicles or a small refrigerator to keep the hotdogs, but you have culinary skills.
If you want the kitchen set up, the food truck is the way to go. More: food truck equipment list
Cost. You thought we said an affordable food cart franchise would cost less than a food truck franchise? We did. We’re talking about a different cost.
The OPPORTUNITY COST of running even the best food cart franchise vs owning your own food truck might be high. While the actual cost of starting and operating a food truck will certainly be higher than a curbside cart, the opportunity for success is much greater.
In addition to your weekly hot spots, the local college has a huge weekend and is looking to set up a food truck row. They’ll want the big boys. The food truck is capable of feeding thousands on a Saturday.
Growth. Yes, we did point out that an aspiring food cart franchise owner could grow his business, and maybe even quicker. We were most certainly talking about unit growth.
No doubt, most business owners could purchase a second food cart before they’ll purchase a second food truck.
The advantage of the food truck though is clear and revenue growth opportunities from owning a food truck, when done the right way, will out-distance the opportunity presented by a multi-unit food cart business on any given day!
So what is the right way to do it? A food cart franchise or a food truck franchise?
What’s right for one, might not be right for the other, we want to be clear, though it may feel like we’ve been picking on the food cart business a bit. We don’t mean anything by it. And, if you currently own a food cart, we trust you’re doing amazing business!
It’s just that as one of the country’s best food truck franchise business opportunities, Masshole Lobster Truck is going to have to side with the truck over the cart.
More: food truck business franchise
Is a Masshole Lobster Truck food truck franchise right for you?
You’ll have to be the one to answer that question. If you’ve considered a food cart franchise, but think you’re interested in owning a lobster truck from which to feed the masses the best lobster you’ve ever tasted, you’ve come to the right place.
This is your chance to bring authentic lobster rolls to the streets of your community.
Because our food is simply delicious, our lobster food trucks have loyal fans, are easy to market, provide you flexibility as a business franchise owner and come with the support of our entire team.
Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to serve your customers. If you think you’re interested in learning more about how to become a Masshole Lobster Truck franchise owner, contact us today. We’d love to speak with you!
